Perhaps the most difficult thing in life is finding genuine contentment. We set goals for ourselves, we strive to reach them, and when we do, any momentary happiness goes poof awfully quickly, as we seek and set new goals once again. At some point, even the most driven and ambitious among us will wonder, “What am I doing, and why am I doing it?”
That is a good thing. I don’t have much figured out about this life, but I do believe we are meant to constantly ask ourselves the big questions: Why am I here? What is the point of our existence? Are there lessons I am supposed to learn along the way? What comes next?
The funny thing about asking big questions is that doing so tends to put all the things in life that ordinarily drag us down into startling perspective. It is only natural to get upset about domestic politics, higher fuel and food prices, growing censorship, and encroaching State tyranny. It is much more difficult to rise above those problems and keep trudging ahead. Eventually, all the turmoil either gets the better of us, or we realize that the turmoil — no matter how large in scope — still pales in comparison to the meaning of life. When you think in terms of why am I here and what am I meant to do, well, the terrible things around us start to look more like opportunities than problems.
That is also around the time when you realize that there is a distinction between happiness and joy. Whereas happiness brings a sense of pleasure and personal satisfaction, it is both ephemeral and misleading. What makes us happy today may leave us bored, distraught, or even angry tomorrow. Just as with setting and achieving goals, happiness won is soon lost. Joy, on the other hand, is a much more enduring state of being, a kind of spiritual triumph that exists when a person sees beyond the struggles of life and feels connected with something more. Can you find meaning and keep moving forward when nothing seems to be going your way? Can you distinguish between the things within your control and those that are not and accept the difference? Can you recognize that life is more than a quest for pleasure and comfort and see the value in struggle and pain? Do you have a bond with a loved one that is indestructible? If so, then you have no doubt experienced some measure of joy that is entirely yours and can never be taken away.
Experiencing joy connects us with the divine. We become acutely aware that we are both part of something much bigger than ourselves, as well as singularly in charge of our fates. Joyfulness clears out the clutter that keeps us from seeing truth clearly. It is a path toward inner peace. One breath at a time, recognize your life as something more than just a collection of days. Once you find joy and learn to guard it from the outside world, then problems look much different and sometimes melt away.
Most atheists I’ve met describe their understanding of existence in one of two ways: either as the mathematically preordained result of deterministic events or as the strange conclusion of a long string of random occurrences. Either the laws of physics determined that roughly 13.8 billion years after the Big Bang we would all be sitting around reading American Thinker together, or the unpredictable chaos of the universe took one wacky turn after the next until stumbling into our present reality. Either way, neither random chaos nor mathematical determinism leaves much room for notions of free will or a sacred understanding of life.
Since atheism is far more prevalent among political leftists, it seems counterintuitive that they get so angry when they do not get their way. I always think, “If there is no God and free will is imaginary, then why is it so imperative that the left’s worldview be imposed on everyone else? If life is no different than a pile of rocks and our choices are nothing more than complex math equations, then why can’t leftists stand back and accept the world as it unfolds?” Just as there never seem to be any atheists in a foxhole, there never seem to be any leftists inclined to forfeit the exercise of their own free will — especially when doing so would sacrifice their control over everyone else.
No matter how strenuously leftists describe human beings as nothing more than algorithms that can be hacked and programmed for optimal control, their efforts evince an uncomfortable understanding that we humans are much more than biological robots or complex chemical reactions with moving parts. Humanity’s future is predicated on deliberate choice — the choices of those who seek substantial control over everyone else and the choices of those who will refuse to be controlled. A battle is shaping between competing forces of free will. Within that battle, certain things ring true. To be alive is special. To be a part of this universe is special. To be conscious of our existence in such a vast world and yet to feel intimately connected to that vastness is special. We are not ones and zeroes. We are not simple code. We are part of something much greater.
Seen from this perspective, the events that dominate our days are very small. Joe Biden’s reckless policies do not matter. The Federal Reserve’s money printing does not matter. The growing national security surveillance State does not matter. The World Economic Forum’s attempts to remake and dominate the world do not matter. What matters is how each one of us responds to those threats and the choices we individually make.
People and institutions with power have a strong interest in convincing everyone else that fighting back is useless. They have a clear interest in convincing those they rule that there is no God by the side of the faithful who choose to pray. They have a Machiavellian interest in convincing human beings that they are not as worthy of protection as planet Earth’s rocks. They have an enduring interest in convincing each one of us that we are weak, alone, and small. They have every interest in keeping us from feeling connected to a greater purpose.
When we refuse to abide the will of powerful interests and instead ask the big, important questions in life, we make those with power feel uncomfortably small. We connect to things much larger than ourselves. We place ourselves on a path toward finding authentic joy. We open our lives to the helping hands of God. One breath at a time, one choice at a time, an amazing thing happens when you put yourself in His hands: the powers that be here on Earth become astonishingly weak.
Perhaps being a “joyful warrior” merely requires a willingness to trust in God so completely that courage vanquishes fear and the joy of righteous struggle replaces doubt. Rebellion to tyrants, Benjamin Franklin said, is obedience to God. That sentiment will always win out.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
